The driver's seat
by datawolf39
Summary: Stein is the body component and Jax is in the mind. Short one short written because I wanted to see it happen.


**A/n Not my best work, but I think it turned out well, considering it was concieved and written in less than 5 hrs, and I been wanting to put up another Jax and Stein centric fic anyway. Let me know what you guys think. R and R**

* * *

"I'm sorry Jax," Ray said again.

Jax sighed. There was little else that he could do considering that he was unable to move. "Ray, for the last time, it ain't your fault. I knew the risks when I dived in to save you from that giant octopus thing, so stop apologizing. I ain't mad and Stein ain't either."

"But-"

"Nope if you're really sorry, you'll stop apologizing."

"I'm going to make it up to you somehow though," Ray said, seeing that it would be fruitless to try apologizing again.

"You can take my dinner duty on my next two turns."

"That hardly seems-"

"Make it the next _three_ times."

Ray didn't think that was enough to pay back his friend, but he wisely shut up.

"Good now everybody out, I'm gonna sleep through the worse of this."

The team, except for Martin, filed out of the infirmary.

"Now, Grey, there is no need to feel guilty," Jax said addressing the older man now that they were alone. He had told Ray the truth, Stein wasn't mad at him, but the older man was mad and that anger was directed inward.

"It was my plan that led to you being paralyzed from the neck down, I'm sorry, but I can't help feeling guilty."

"First of all, I agreed to the plan, you didn't force me, second of all, Ray woulda been dead if I hadn't helped, and third, it ain't like it's permanent or anything. You and Gideon, synthesized a cure and it'll fix me up in a few hours give or take. I been meaning to catch up on sleep anyhow and this is the perfect chance for that."

Another wave of guilt hit Jax when he said the last statement. "Grey," he said softly, "it ain't like you been trying to have nightmares. Some messed up crap has happened to you and you can bury it in your mind all you want, but that don't mean it goes away."

"Still, you must admit, that it is unfair to you Jefferson."

"Life ain't fair Grey, and it's better this way in the end, considering that you'd be a nervous wreck without the link, cause you know as well as I do that you'd never talk about things to anyone else if you had a choice in the matter."

Martin didn't bother to deny it, for it was the truth.

Jax smiled content with winning their little argument, and closed his eyes.

* * *

"Jeff... wake... need...!"

"Grey?" Jefferson asked waking abruptly. He could feel that his body was still paralyzed, although, some feeling was beginning to come back. It must be something bad if Martin was waking him up before he was recovered.

"Good you're awake. The team ran into some trouble, they need us."

"But I can't move."

"You did once complain about always being in the driver's seat," Martin said attaching the splicer to himself, it was a rather odd feeling."

"Are you sure it will work this way?" Jax asked.

"Only one way to find out," Martin replied offering his hand. This was Jax's decision to make.

"Let's do it," Jax said, if there was even a chance it would work, they had to take it.

Martin grabbed his hand and fire consumed them. When the fire had dispersed, Martin stood there as Firestom, dressed in their usual clothing, only the colors were red and black instead of yellow.

"Jefferson, are you there?"

 _Whoa, this is awesome Grey, I see everything._ That was the only way to describe it, Jax had never known what it was like to be the co-pilot. It was surreal, everything felt like... _more_. Feelings were more potent, his awareness of their surroundings were through the roof, and somehow he could feel what the limitations of the merge would be. Stein was not as agile, but there was raw power, untapped and ready to be harnessed.

"You have to focus us Jefferson, feeling you overwhelmed it affecting the merge."

 _Sorry, sorry... okay, I'm ready._

Stein walked off the Waverider, and used his flames to get them in the air. It was not as easy as he thought it would be, but despite his shakiness he managed to land in the center of the group of enemies. He could hear the team's surprise at his arrival, but he disregarded that, he had enough to concentrate on at the moment. Fireball there, take weapon and smack several men here, punch stupid enemy that got to close the gentleman with the flaming head and so on.

 _Space Ranger Stein_

 _Superhuman man that travels through time_

 _If your ever in trouble you know who to call_

 _Space Ranger Stein_

 _A good friend of mine-_

"Jefferson what are you going on about," Martin questioned sending another fire ball at an man that was trying to turn Ray into a shish kabob.

 _Grey, you're freaking awesome and everyone knows awesome superheros have theme songs._

"I thank you for your efforts, but I do not require a theme song."

Before they knew it the battle was over and the enemies, that were alive, started retreating.

"Looking good professor," Sara said as she made her way over to them whilst sheathing a particularly sharp looking knife. The others voiced similar statements as they all made their way back to the Waverider.

Martin was ready separate them the moment they got back to the infirmary, Jax still needed to recover after all.

 _Grey, wait..._

"What is it Jefferson?"

 _This will probably won't happen again, so I kind of think that you should enjoy it while you can, you know?._

"Jefferson, I hardly think that it is appropriate for me to 'have fun' with our abilities."

"Professor, listen to the kid for once ," Snart chimed in.

"We've got nowhere to be, for the time being, and those guys won't be back anytime soon," Rip chimed in.

 _Space Ranger Stein_

 _Superhuman man that travels through time_

 _If your ever in trouble you know who to call_

"Jefferson please, if you stop that I'll... experiment."

 _Deal._

Martin started small, making shapes in the fire, making little wisps appear on each finger. When he had pushed himself into the sky he began to think of other things that he could do.

 _That's an interesting idea._

"Hmmm?"

 _You just wondered if we could make fire into wings of some sort so that we would be able to keep our hands free._

"It's impossible."

 _So are we, but that doesn't stop us._

Martin grinned. They were not exactly impossible, but they were improbable, but Jax was right, it couldn't hurt to try.


End file.
